Your History – Past, Present, and Future

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Most of us know that verse. It usually pops up when something bad has just happened. It’s kind of a Christian, “keep your chin up!” But there’s another time the verse pops up. It’s when you look back at something in your life that seemed not-so-good at the time, which you realize now was for the best.

Have you ever regretted something that’s happened to you or something you’ve done? We all have. How about a certain part of your life when you wish you could take a do-over? Think you’ve lost a couple of months or years on the road to your real purpose in life? Days of your life you’ll never get back? Like I said, we all have.

How about right now? Wondering if your life is kind of stuck in rut mode? You’re hung in the hum-drum. Your day is a repeat of yesterday. Wake up, climb on the hamster wheel, run like the dickens until it’s time to fall back in bed again. Tomorrow? Same stuff – different day.

How do you think God feels about your present existence? Do you ever wonder if He still sees you, loves you, and has a wonderful plan for your life? And if He does have a wonderful plan for your life, is this it? Is this the plan? From down here the plan doesn’t look so hot most days.

Do you feel like what you’re doing doesn’t really count for much in light of eternity? Kind of hoping for something more? A little higher purpose than the hamster wheel? Wish you could do something important with your life?

Most of us have been there. A lot of us are still there. We had high hopes early on that there was something really special waiting for us in life. The idealism of youth kind of fades away as the realities of adulthood take over.

There are certain guys in the Bible I really like. Whose lives I can look at and see a parallel and hope for my own situation when I’m feeling a little adrift. That’s where Joseph comes in.

You already know the story of Joseph. If you don’t, pick up a Bible and read Genesis chapters thirty-seven and thirty-nine through forty-seven. Here’s Joseph’s life in bullets.

 Second from the youngest of twelve boys. Dad’s favorite.

 Good looking, well built and smart; but clueless on sibling politics.

 Has dreams about his brothers and parents bowing down him. Family not thrilled.

 Dodges assassination attempt by the brothers and is sold as a slave to Midianite traders.

 Traders sell him to Egyptian bureaucrat and he gets promoted to head of household staff.

 Joseph interprets dream, becomes prime-minister, rescues family from the famine, and becomes the catalyst by which the family of Jacob becomes the nation of Israel.

Looking at the big picture, it’s obvious to us that Joseph lived a life of eternal destiny. If God hadn’t brought him to Egypt and then brought him to power, if there hadn’t been a severe famine in the land, his family would have never moved to Goshen; a piece of prime real estate where they would survive and thrive and eventually grow from a family into a nation. You can see God’s hand in Joseph’s life with every twist of fate.

But I wonder if Joseph felt that way at the time? At seventeen, he was ripped from his home and family and sold as a slave. He spent thirteen years in a foreign country, either as a slave or in prison. God was watching over him and he enjoyed a certain level of success, but he was still a slave and a prisoner in a foreign land.

I’ll bet there were times in those thirteen years that Joseph wondered what had gone wrong with his life. What great divine plan had separated him from his home and family and had put him in servitude and in prison? He remembered the promise God had made to his father Jacob. He remembered his dreams that one day his family would bow before him. Where were the promise and the dreams now? The way his life was shaping up, he was sure that he would never see his family or homeland again.

At thirty years old Joseph’s life had a dramatic turn-around. Through a whirlwind series of events he found himself as prime-minister of Egypt , second only to Pharaoh. He experienced about as much success and fortune as a man could imagine in this foreign country; still his heart ached for his home and family.

Another eight or nine years transpired. Joseph was pushing forty and it looked like God’s promise and his dreams were part of another life; long ago and far away from his present situation.

Joseph made the best of his circumstance, whatever the circumstance happened to be at the moment. He had no idea how God would keep His promise to Jacob or how his own dreams would be fulfilled. From where he was all he could see was the situation at hand. He had to trust God for the big picture.

Almost four thousand years later we can see the big picture pretty clearly. If Joseph hadn’t been sold by his brothers into slavery he would have never traveled to Egypt . If he hadn’t resisted the amorous advances of Potipher’s wife he would have never landed in prison. If he hadn’t gone out on a limb to interpret the dreams of the cupbearer and baker he wouldn’t have found his way to Pharaoh’s court. And if he hadn’t stepped up and interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams he wouldn’t have been put in a position of power.If there hadn’t been a great famine, Joseph’s brothers would never have seen him again. And if Joseph’s family hadn’t moved to Egypt there would have been no nation of Israel four hundred years later … or today.

All the seemingly bad stuff that happened to Joseph in those twenty odd years wasn’t outside of God’s plan and it wasn’t in spite of God’s plan. It was God’s plan. Looking at the big picture, over the span of Joseph’s life and beyond, it’s easy to see God working his plan and Joseph’s eternal purpose unfolding.

But Joseph didn’t have the advantage of perspective. When you’re working as a slave in a foreigner’s house, dodging his wife’s little love traps or when you’re sitting in a prison, falsely accused, it’s a little difficult to see God’s plan unfolding in your life.

But the plan is there anyway. Seeing it at work is only a matter of perspective. The great thing about Joseph is that he just kept on trucking, whether he could see the plan working or not. He found himself in a lot of different situations; some of them pretty good, some of them pretty bad. A lot of different situations, but only one Plan. There were probably times when Joseph felt God’s plan for his life had gone terribly awry. But whatever the circumstance, he honored God in his actions. And God worked His plan.

In my own eyes, a lot of the years behind me have been wasted or at least, off target. How could those years be counted as part of God’s plan for my life? In my own eyes, in my own strength, in my own plan, they couldn’t. It would be a miracle if my mixed bag of past and present ever added up to something worthwhile in God’s eternal plan for my life.

A miracle, that’s what it would be. Looking at the big picture that’s just what it is. Just ask Joseph and his brothers, the children of Israel .

“But Joseph said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives'” (Genesis 50: 19, 20).

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10 thoughts on “Your History – Past, Present, and Future”

Joseph was great. He taught us compassion for people in our own family who hate us. Joseph preserved his people in Egypt and they flourished to later become a great nation. Why don’t you historical confirm Joseph? 1)Joseph came into Egypt at age 17 2)Joseph became a slave in a high position the new pharaoh’s guard cause Senusert II’s funeral was taking place as 17 year old Joseph was arriving in Egypt-new slave positions were in demand-old order was dead 3)Senusert III was the 1st Egyptain king Joseph lived under. 4)Genesis chapter 47 Joseph as governor managed the economies of both Canaan & Egypt. 5)Seusert III annexed Canaan after Jacob fled Shechem,Canaan in Genesis chapter 35. 6)Genesis 47:13-22 Canaanite/Hyksos came into Egypt trading horses for food. Senusert III had horses for a horse mummy was found at Buhen,Canaan in 1959 traced to Senusert III. Horse came into Egypt by peace and the priests land and temples were protected. Pharaoh Ahmose lied. Ahmose said the Hyksos brought the horse into Egypt by warfare and the Hyksos destroyed Egyptian temples. Genesis 47:13-22 shows Ahmose lied. Genesis chapter 41 states Joseph was stationed in Biblical On (Heliopolis,Egypt) Ahmose destroyed Heliopolis, Egypt (Oxford History of Egypt by Ian Shaw)before Ahmose went to Avaris, Egypt. 7)Senuert III son calls canal Bahr Yusef-now Arabic (Joseph’s canal) 8)Joseph day Genesis chapter 47 all the land was given to the pharaoh except the priest’s land. In Senusert III’s day the nomarch’s lavish tombs ceased being built in Senusert’s 20th year. Why? Their titles vanished when all the land became the pharaoh’s. 9) Joseph age 17 enters Egypt dies at age 110. Joseph spent 93 years in Egypt. Oxford History of Egypt now states Senusert III reign = 39 years, Amenemhet III = 45 years & Amenemhet IV = 9 years. 39 + 45 + 9 = 93 years. Joseph brought Egypt prosperity; when Joseph dies same year Amenemhet mysteriously dies. 10) Abydos, Egypt king’s list has no 13-17th Egyptain dynasties-these kings never existed. 11) Avaris, Egypt p.190 last king of 12th dynasty Amenemhet IV & 1st king 18th dynasty Ahmose artifacts found in one grave represents 28 years of history 1631 B.C. Joseph & Amenemhet IV dies, 1631-1628 B.C. Queen Sebeknefru mysteriously dies. and 1628-1603 B.C. Ahmose reigns. Archaeologist Manfred Bietak having only 12th dynasty & 18th dynasty articles in one grave now says every thirty feet of soil = a dynasty. Bietak says one grave = 285 years. No culture ever keeps a grave going that long. Joseph dies at Heliopolis, Egypt (Biblical On) in 1631 B.C. and in Ahmose’s 11th year of reign 1617 B.C. Ahmose destroys all records of Joseph at Heliopolis, Egypt. This is the truth! Ahmose is the reason why a pharaoh arose in Egypt who knew not Joseph. 12)Canaanite/Hyksos Joseph collected horses from in his 39th year 1702 B.C. stayed in Egypt for 94 years until Ahmose’s 20th year when the Canaanite Exodus took place in 1608 B.C. the Jewish Exodus took place in 1495 B.C. 13)Take out Egypt’s phony 1st and 2nd intermediate dynasties. (7-10 & 13-17) Abraham visited pharaoh Pepi II last king of Memphis dynasty.Pepi II was 96 when Abraham was 75 & Sarah was 65. The plagues (Genesis 12:17) were so bad the dynasty fell and the Egyptains clouded history by posting mere names for dynasties 7-10. The Egyptain 12th dynasty was so prosperous cause of Joseph, Ahmose waited until Joseph died at age 110 before Ahmose took out Amenemhet IV. Ahmose was from Thebes. Mentuhotep IV of Thebes was assassinated by Amenemhet I who started the 12th dynasty. Now revisionists are trying to say that Mentuhotep IV never existed. 14)In this time of anti-Semiticism Jewish history can be proven in ancient history. 15)I thought you would like the books I sent you “Where the Bible Meets History” and “Ancient Warriors”. Those books are totally positive about Israel. I sent one book to Jeff. I sent over 100 books out and I have received positve responses.

It would have been nice if ancient kings would have told the truth about ancient history. The only source of real historical truth is our Holy Bible. When you study other cultures and through artifacts find truth in ancient history, the Biblical numbers play out the correct historical information. Daniel 12:3-4 shines brightly for all those seeking the truth!

Akenaton’s cousin was Tushratta king over the Mitanni enemy of Hittite king Suppiluliumas I. When Othniel defeated Cush-Rishathaim, Suppiluliumas I attacked Mitanni vassal states and created a Mitanni civil war. Suppiluliumas southern border was now Genesis 14:15 Hobah city which Abraham had chased his enemies; Suppiluliumas must have had good relations with Israel, since he did not take over Israel, yet had the power to do so. Akenaton thought wrongly that Joshua worshipped the sun-god, since the sun stood still. (Joshua 10:12)Shortly after Joshua died, Tushratta-Cush-Rishathaim attacked Israel and won the war, so Akenaton established a montheistic religion believing he had captured Israel’s God. Akenaton stood still while Tushratta’s empire crumbled. So many historians state Akenaton started montheism, yet Israel under Moses through Abraham brought us the belief in one God void of sun or moon worship!

EGYPTIAN KINGS IN RELATION TO JUDGES: 1407-1406 B.C. Semenkare 1406-1396 B.C. Tutankhamen
1396-1392 B.C. Ay who slew Suppiluliumas I son. 1392-1361 B.C. Horemheb who purged Egyptian records of last 4 kings. 1361-1360 B.C. Ramses I 1360-1347 B.C. Seti I 1347-1280 B.C. Ramses II 1280-1268 B.C. (MERNEPTAH I) Merneptah Stele “Israel destroyed, her seed not” 1298-1278 B.C. refers to Jabin’s harsh reign over Israel and Israel’s seed children who survived. Barak & Deborah won victory. 1268-1263 B.C. Amenmesses reigns 1263-1258 Seti II reigns 1258-1251 B.C. Merneptah II reigns. Syrians from the east have entered Egypt. Judges 6:3-4 1258-1218 B.C. Gideon defeats eastern people in 1251 B.C. 1251-1249 B.C. Queen Tausert reigns over Egypt and she is in love with Syrian butler Bay. 1249-1247 B.C. Irsu reigns 1247-1245 Setnakht reigns. RAMSES III 1245-1213 B.C. Harem conspiracy assassination attempt in 1214 B.C. Note: Abimelech 1218-1215 B.C. killed 70 of his brothers around same time usurpers make their moves. NOTE: HITTITE king Hattusilas III 1330-1301 B.C. Bible chronology made an alliance with the Amorites against ASSYRIAN king Shalmanesar I 1314-1284 B.C. who attacked Syria causing Syrians to flee to Lebanon. Amorite Jabin gets his iron Hittite chariots in this alliance and invades Israel. ASSYRIAN king Tukulti-Ninurta Biblical time: 1283-1247 B.C. drove Syrians from the east escaping with their lives into Lebanon, Israel & Egypt. The next important ASSYRIAN king is Tiglath-Pilesar I Biblical chronology: 1137-1099 B.C. whose army reached westward to the Mediterranean Sea. Philistines reigned over Israel 1139-1099 B.C. King Saul arises to power same year Tiglath-Pilesar I dies. Saul reigns over Israel 1099-1059 B.C. David 1059-1019 B.C. Solomon 1019-979 B.C. We have Egyptian, Mitanni, Hittite and Assyrian kings all supporting the Bible in information found in the book of Judges. We live in the last days when people say prove the Bible. Both history and prophecy can open people’s eyes.